A construction kit could be the top UK toy this Christmas, according to retailers – which must be great news for the next generation of DIYers.
As insurance companies and mortgage lenders fret publicly about the handiness or otherwise of Young People Today, high street giant Argos says its Real Construction Deluxe Workshop is set to be the most requested gift of the year.
And that’s not the only evidence that the do-it-yourself ethic is alive and well among younger people – the community at Make Magazine, for example, features a large number of people that like to work on projects with their kids or get the youngsters started on projects of their own.
So we reckon the notion of declining DIY skills is actually a bit overstressed – and we think the ethos of getting your hands dirty, customising, modifying and making the things you need as efficiently and sustainably as possible will be popular for a good few years to come.